1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer, and particularly to a system to electrically disconnect and connect a power supply and input/output boards to a motherboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
Though the computer industry has, over the years, been an area of innovation, improvements are desired in quick connection and disconnection of components of the computer system to increase accessibility to components of the computer system for additions, upgrades, repairs, maintenance and service.
Because of the desire to expand or add on to the features of a computer system and replace components with upgrades, such as more powerful microprocessors, and the need for repairs and maintenance service to the computer system, either by the user or a service center, quick accessibility of computer components have remained a concern. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,611, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, proposes a computer system having a quick connect cover having a user panel and a service panel for access to circuit boards, power supply and drive units, such as floppy disk drives, hard drives and tape drives. U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,518 to Thomas T. Hardt, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, proposes quick release rail members for a computer drive unit with an arm including a detent movable relative to a slot in the computer frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,611 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,518, are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
In the past, Compaq Computer Corporation of Houston, Tex., has addressed these concerns by manufacturing computer systems with a motherboard having a microprocessor positioned on a tray that is slidable relative to the frame of the computer housing. Additionally, Compaq Computer Corporation has manufactured a frame having a track member so that a tray having electronic components can be removably positioned with the frame but the electronic components were not automatically connected with a motherboard, or any other board, while positioning the tray in the frame track. Similarly, Compaq Computer Corporation has manufactured a drive tray that is pivotably attached to the frame of a computer housing. The drive tray, that holds a floppy disc drive and a hard drive, pivots upwardly approximately 45.degree. to provide access to the drives. However, the drive tray is not positioned over a motherboard having a microprocessor, or any other printed circuit board and does not automatically electrically connect to the motherboard.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system for aligned quick electrical disconnect and connect of electronic components with a motherboard. In particular, it would be desirable to have an aligned quick electrical connect of electronic components in a tray where upon moving the tray from the motherboard access position to an operating position, the electronic components in the tray are automatically electrically connected with the motherboard.